Toledo Auto Care joins Brakes for Breasts

A Toledo business has joined with auto shops across the nation to support National Breast Cancer Awareness month this October through Brakes for Breasts. Toledo Auto Care, 4544 Monroe St., an independently owned auto repair shop, is offering customers free brake pads and/or shoes for the month of October. Customers pay for labor and other parts, and the shop will donate 10 percent of the cost of every brake service to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Fund.

The Brakes for Breasts campaign is unique in that its focus is a vaccine to prevent breast cancer and all of the money raised goes directly to this cause, said Gary Pontious Sr., owner of Toledo Auto Care.

Pontious said he believes this cause is especially worthy because of the nature of the research.

“In our opinion, the best cure is prevention, and that’s why we are on board with [Brakes for Breasts], because this vaccine could prevent breast cancer,” Pontious said.

He is also happy to help a cause that is community-driven. Although shops all across the nation are participating, Brakes for Breasts originated in Ohio and the funds go entirely to the Cleveland Clinic.

“We are very involved in the community. We’ve been in this building since 1969. Our company was started in 1917 in this neighborhood, so we are in our 96th year of business and we’ve been civic-minded since the start. Anything that we can do to be involved in the community, we like to do,” Pontious said.

Brakes for Breasts began in 2011 when Leigh Anne Best of Mighty Auto Pro in Medina, Ohio, and Laura Frank of Royal Car Care & Tire Center in Brunswick, Ohio, decided to support and fund breast cancer prevention.

Best and the employees at Mighty Auto Pro have personal experience that motivates them to continue this cause, and Best said she hopes to spread awareness as well.

“Myself, I am very fortunate that I’ve always lived in a cancer-free world,” Best said. “Most recently, however, a worker at Mighty Auto Pro who is an amazing employee and person just went through a year of breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. We operate very much as a team and a family, so especially when one of our own [is affected], it’s pretty near and dear to us. We started [Brakes for Breasts] to make sure that more people get to live in a cancer-free world.”

The campaign has caught on quickly, Best said. In its first year, five shops in Ohio raised $10,000. In 2012, the campaign spread to 27 shops across 17 states and raised $32,800. This year, 67 shops in 24 states are participating.

With the increase in the number of participating shops, Best said she hopes to raise $50,000 for the Cleveland Clinic this year. She wants the campaign to continue to grow for years to come.

Toledo Auto Care hopes to contribute about $3,000 to the cause, and plans on continuing to participate annually.